Hat patch

ABSTRACT

A patch for a hat includes a body with a multi-layer composition including a layer of woven material, an adhesive layer, and a removable backing. The patch includes a first notch and a second notch in the layers of material. The notches are aligned with each other and located centrally with respect to the patch to assist in aligning the patch with the crown of a hat.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to a patch for a hat and, more particularly, to a patch for a hat with a woven construction.

Description of the Related Art

It is known that repeated use of a hat with a woven construction, such as a straw hat or a panama hat, can lead to cracking or tearing of the woven material. This problem is particularly pervasive at the crown of the hat where pinching of the hat can accelerate damage. The cracking or tearing can cause irreparable damage to the hat as the woven materials separate from each other.

In response, certain solutions have been proposed. However, known solutions suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, glue or other adhesives have been proposed to repair woven hats. Glues and adhesives are not only ineffective at repairing woven hats, but they also create an outward appearance that is not aesthetically pleasing. Further, known solutions can be difficult to apply and do not restore the appearance of the hat to its original condition. It would therefore be desirable to have a solution that overcomes the disadvantages of conventional hat repair devices, systems, and methods.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure is generally directed to a hat patch that is particularly well suited for repairing the crown of a woven hat. The hat patch has a woven construction with a design that is adapted to be applied to the crown of a woven hat in some embodiments.

For example, a hat patch according to the present disclosure includes a generally semicircular shape with a first side that is straight and linear and a second curved side that is connected to the first side. The patch includes several layers of material with each layer having the same size and shape. The first or top layer is a layer of woven material corresponding to the material of the hat to be repaired. The second or middle layer is a layer of adhesive. The third or bottom layer is a removable backing that is coupled to the adhesive layer and removed before application of the patch to the hat. The patch further includes a first notch and a second notch. The first notch is in the first, straight side and the second notch is in the second, curved side. The first and second notches are aligned and have a triangular shape, with the pointed tip of each notch extending into the layers of material and toward each other. In some examples, the notches are aligned centrally with respect to the sides and the patch, such that the notches can be used to align the patch with a center of the hat to be repaired.

The present disclosure further describes a cutting board or stencil for cutting several patches from a sheet of material. The cutting board includes demarcations in the patch shape described above repeated in rows and columns to increase production efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more readily appreciated as the same become better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar elements or acts. In some figures, the structures are drawn exactly to scale. In other figures, the sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the sizes, shapes of various elements and angles may be enlarged and positioned in the figures to improve drawing legibility.

FIG. 1 is a rear isometric view of an embodiment of a patch according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of the patch of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the patch of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a left side elevational view of the patch of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the patch of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the patch of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of the patch of FIG. 1 along line 7A-7A in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7B is a detail view of area 7B in FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of an embodiment of a cutting board for a patch according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is generally directed to a patch for a hat. While the disclosure will proceed with a specific implementation of a patch for a crown of a woven hat, it is to be appreciated that the concepts described herein can be applied to any number of different hats and hat patches and also outside of the hat repair context. As such, the present disclosure is not limited solely to patches for the crown of a woven hat.

FIG. 1 is a rear isometric view of a patch 100 for a hat. The patch 100 includes a body 102 with a first surface 104 and a second surface 106 opposite the first surface 104. In some embodiments, the first surface 104 is a rear or bottom surface that faces the user's head after the patch 100 is applied to a hat and the second surface 106 is a front or top surface that is applied to an interior surface of a hat. As will be described in more detail, the body 102 of the patch 100 is comprised of multiple layers of material. FIG. 2 illustrates the patch 100 in a front isometric view showing the second surface 106 of the body 102 in more detail. The first surface 104 corresponds to a layer of woven material, such that the first surface 104 is a textured surface. By contrast, the second surface 106 corresponds to a removable backing, such that the second surface is flat and planar and does not include texture. As described in more detail below, the removable backing is on an adhesive layer, such that even when the removable back is removed, the second surface 106 is generally a flat and planar layer of adhesive.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the patch 100. The body 102 of the patch 100 has a generally semicircular shape with a first side 108 (which may also be referred to herein as a first edge 108) and a second side 110 (which may also be referred to herein as a second edge 110). The first side 108 may be a bottom side and the second side 110 may be a top side in some embodiments. As shown in FIG. 3, the first side 108 is straight and rectilinear and the second side 110 is curved. The second side 110 connects to the first side 108 at opposite outermost ends of the first side 108 with the first side 108 and the second side 110 defining the overall shape of the body 102. In some embodiments, a length of the first side 108 is less than a length of the second side 110 and a height of the patch 100 is greater than a width of the patch 100, although the same is not necessary required and the dimensions of the patch 100 can be selected based on design factors.

Further, the patch 100 includes a first notch 112 in the first side 108 and a second notch 114 in the second side 110. The first notch 112 and the second notch 114 are aligned with each other on opposite sides of the patch 100 and in some embodiments, are located centrally with respect to the body 102 of the patch 100. In other words, the notches 112, 114 are aligned along a vertical line passing through a center of the patch 100, as indicated by dashed line “A” in FIG. 3. The notches 112, 114 are defined by straight and rectilinear edges in the body 102. More specifically, a first straight 116 and a second straight edge 118 extend into the body 102 from the first side 108. The first and second straight edges 116, 118 may have an equal length meeting at a point or vertex 120 to define the first notch 112. Further, the edges 116, 118 and the vertex 120 give the notch 112 an overall triangular shape. In some embodiments, the first and second straight edges 116 are perpendicular to each other.

However, in one or more embodiments, the first and second straight edges 116, 118 are at any transverse angle to each other, meaning any angle not equal to 0 degrees and not equal to 90 degrees. The second notch 114 can have the same or similar features as the first notch 112. In some embodiments, there is only one notch 112, 114 on a selected side of the patch 100. Further, the notches 112, 114 may be offset from center or spaced from each other and from line “A” in FIG. 3. In other words, the notches 112, 114 can be selected to be at any location along the first and second sides 108, 110. The notches 112, 114 being at the center and aligned with each other, however, assists with aligning the patch 110 with the center of a hat to ensure efficient and accurate installation to repair cracking or damage to the crown of a hat. Further, the notches 112, 114 may assist with conforming the patch 100 to the shape of the crown of the hat. The crown is where damage is most likely to occur with most woven hats because that is where pinching occurs as the hat is manipulated by the user on and off of the user's head. In some embodiments, the patch 100 does not include notches 112, 114, but rather, the first and second sides 108, 110 are continuous and uninterrupted around the perimeter of the body 102 of the patch 100.

FIG. 4 is a left side elevational view and FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the patch 100. The right side is a mirror image of FIG. 4 and the bottom is a mirror image of FIG. 5. With reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the body 102 of the patch 100 includes a multi-layer structure. Specifically, the body 102 has a plurality of layers, including a layer of woven material 122, an adhesive layer 124 on the layer of woven material 122 and a removable backing layer 126 that is on the adhesive layer 124. The layer of woven material 122 is a first or bottom layer and includes the first surface 104. The adhesive layer 124 is a second or middle layer on the layer of woven material 122 and the removable backing 126 is a third or top layer on the adhesive layer 124.

The layer of woven material 122 may be any number of different materials, such as canvas, cotton, jute, leather, wool, polyester, straw, nylon, or linen, as well as any other type of fabric. Further, the layer of woven material 122 can be selected to be any color and may have a selected weave density, such as less than 80 weaves per square centimeter, or 100, 140, 180, or 250-400 or more weaves per square centimeter in any selected weave pattern, such as Brisa, Cuenca, and others. As such, the layer of woven material 122 includes fibers that are interwoven in any selected pattern and in any selected color in order to match a variety of hats and styles. In some embodiments, the layer of woven material 122 does not include any stiffener and is instead, a sheet of linen made from any of the above materials. In one or more embodiments, stiffener is also applied to the layer of woven material 122.

The layer of adhesive 124 can be selected to be any adhesive and may include gel, putty, glue, tape, or other like compositions. For example, the layer of adhesive 124 may be reusable adhesive putty, reusable adhesive gel, removable or repositionable double-sided tape, laminating adhesive, or other like products. Some embodiments include the adhesive layer 124 manufactured by 3M®. The adhesive 124 is selected to have a long lasting and semi-permanent bond, meaning that the patch 100 can be removed without leaving behind adhesive residue on the hat. The removable backing 126 may be selected to be any removable backing. In some embodiments, the adhesive layer 124 and the backing 126 are a single unit, such as 300LSM adhesive backing manufactured by 3M®. As such, the adhesive layer 124 and backing 126 are applied to the layer of woven material 122 to create the multi-layer structure of the body 102.

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the patch 100 showing the second surface 106 and removable backing 126 in more detail. With reference to FIG. 6 and with continuing reference to FIGS. 1-5, each of the layers of the body 102 have the same size and shape, in some embodiments, such that the patch 100 can be applied and secured to a hat over an entire surface of the patch. Further, the size and shape of the patch 100 can be selected according to design factors, such as the size and shape of the hat that the patch 100 is applied to.

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view along line 7A-7A in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7B is a detail view of area 7B in FIG. 7A. With reference to FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B, the patch 100 includes the layer of woven material 122, the adhesive layer 124, and the removable backing 126. The thickness of each of the layers can be selected according to design factors, such as adhesive strength as well as the thickness of the material in the hat to which the patch 100 is applied. As illustrated, a thickness of the layer of woven material 122 is greater than a thickness of the adhesive layer 124, which is greater than a thickness of the removable backing 126. However, in some embodiments, the adhesive layer 124 has the greatest thickness or the removable backing 126 has the greater thickness. Further, the layer of adhesive 124 covers an entirety of the layer of woven material 122, in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the adhesive 124 is applied in separate portions, dots, or strips along the layer of woven material 122 such that the adhesive layer 124 covers less than an entirety of the layer of woven material 122. In one or more embodiments, the adhesive layer 124 has an area that is less than the area of the woven material 122. Similarly, the removable backing 126 can have a configuration that matches that of the adhesive layer 124, meaning that there may be more than one piece of removable backing 126 to match the adhesive 124. In some embodiments, the area of the removable backing 126 is greater than the area of adhesive 124 such that the user can grasp the backing 126 at the edges to assist with removing the backing 126.

In operation and with reference to FIGS. 1-7B, the user flips the hat over and locates the tear or other damage on the inside of the hat. Then, the user takes the patch 100 and removes the backing layer 126 by peeling the backing layer 126 from the adhesive layer 124. Then, the patch 100 is loosely applied to the inner crown of the hat at the location of the tear. The notches 112, 114 assist with aligning the patch 100 in the proper location, such as at the center of the crown or at the center of the tear. If the patch 100 needs to be re-adjusted at this point, the patch 100 can be slowly peeled off the crown and re-applied used the steps above. Once the patch 100 is in the correct position and loosely attached to the crown, the user turns the hat over and applies pressure against the crown at the outside surface of the hat to close up the tear and bond the crown and tear to the adhesive layer 124. Then, the user flips the hat back over and firmly presses down on the patch to securely bond the adhesive layer 124 to the inside of the hat. If needed, the hat can be flipped and pressure applied to the outer crown again until the tear is less noticeable.

Thus, the patch 100 is applied to the inside of the hat with the adhesive layer 124 on the hat and generally facing outward toward the crown of the hat while the layer of woven material 122 faces inward towards the head of the user. Fixing a hat with the patch 100 from the inside of the hat is preferable to applying a patch on the outside of the hat because edges of an internal patch are not visible during normal use of the hat, and thus the aesthetics of the repair are improved. However, the present disclosure is not limited to solely repairing hats on the inside of the crown. Rather, the concepts of the present disclosure can be applied to patches for any area or surface of a hat, as well as outside the hat patching context, such as with a woven bag or other textiles.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a cutting board 200 for cutting the layers 122, 124, 126 into the shape of the patch 100 described herein. The cutting board 200 includes a body 202 with a first or top surface 204 with a plurality of demarcations 206 on the first surface 204 that correspond to the shape of the patch 100. The demarcations 206 are arranged in a selected number of rows and columns. As such, although FIG. 8 illustrates 20 demarcations 206 in four rows and five columns, there could be more or less than 20 demarcations 206 in some embodiments. Further, while the demarcations 206 are shown as aligned with each other in the rows and columns, the demarcations could also be offset or in some other configuration. In some embodiments, the demarcations 206 are on the surface 204 of the body 202, such that the user lays the cloth over the cutting board 200 and cuts along the demarcations 206 with a knife. In one or more embodiments, the demarcations 206 are holes through the first surface 204 and the body 202, such that the cutting board can be used as a stencil to mark the patches along the demarcations 206, and then the patches can be cut from the material in a second processing step.

In the foregoing description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures associated with hats and hat patches have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments.

Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims which follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as, “comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is as “including, but not limited to.” Further, the terms “first,” “second,” and similar indicators of sequence are to be construed as interchangeable unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term “or” is generally employed in its broadest sense, that is as meaning “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure. 

1. A patch, comprising: a plurality of layers, including: a layer of woven material; an adhesive layer on the layer of woven material; and a removable backing coupled to the adhesive; a first notch in at least one of the plurality of layers; and a second notch in at least one of the plurality of layers, wherein the second notch is aligned with the first notch.
 2. The patch of claim 1 wherein the first notch and the second notch are located centrally with respect to a width of the patch.
 3. The patch of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of layers have the same size and shape.
 4. The patch of claim 1 wherein the plurality of layers have a semicircular shape with a first, rectilinear side and a second, curved side.
 5. The patch of claim 4 wherein the first notch is in the first, rectilinear side and the second notch is in the second, curved side.
 6. The patch of claim 5, further comprising: a first straight edge in the second, curved side; and a second straight edge in the second, curved side perpendicular to the first straight edge, the second notch defined by the first straight edge and the second straight edge.
 7. The patch of claim 4 wherein a length of the first side is less than a length of the second side.
 8. The patch of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the layer of woven material is greater than a thickness of the adhesive layer.
 9. A patch, comprising: a body including a layer of woven material and an adhesive layer on the layer of woven material, the body having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; and a first notch in the first side of the body; and a second notch in the second side of the body aligned with the first notch.
 10. The patch of claim 9 further comprising: a removable backing on the adhesive layer.
 11. The patch of claim 9 wherein the first notch and the second notch are located centrally relative to the body.
 12. The patch of claim 9 wherein the body has a semi-circular shape with the first side being a straight rectilinear side and the second side being a curved side.
 13. The patch of claim 9 wherein the adhesive layer has the same size and shape as the layer of woven material.
 14. The patch of claim 9 wherein the first side of the body includes a first straight edge and a second straight edge perpendicular to the first straight edge, the first notch defined by the first straight edge and the second straight edge.
 15. The patch of claim 9 wherein a length of the first side of the body is less than a length of the second side of the body.
 16. A cutting board, comprising: a body with a first surface having a plurality of repeating demarcations arranged in aligned rows and columns on the first surface, each of the demarcations including: a first, straight side; a second, curved side; a first rectilinear edge in the first, straight side; a second rectilinear edge in the first, straight side and transverse to the first rectilinear edge to define a first notch; a third rectilinear edge in the second, curved side; and a fourth rectilinear edge in the second, curved side and transverse to the third rectilinear edge to define a second notch, wherein the first notch and the second notch of each demarcation are located at a center of the first, straight side and the second, curved side, respectively.
 17. The cutting board of claim 16 wherein the first notch and the second notch extend toward each other in the first, straight side and the second, curved side, respectively.
 18. The cutting board of claim 16 wherein the first notch and the second notch each have a pointed tip. 